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Article #5987

Re: DOS Multitasking (was Re: Ms-Dos Source)

#5987
From: Mikel Lechner
Date: Sat, 27 Apr 1991 18:41
25 lines
1573 bytes
ldstern@rodan.acs.syr.edu (Larry Stern) writes:

>I think the problem here is the definition of "true multitasking".
>My defintion precludes the use of one CPU, ie. the only true multi-
>tasking is on parallel processing machines with multiple CPUs.

By your definition the 80286 and 80386 do not multitask.  And neither
do most of the other computers in the world.  I must disagree.  What
you're describing is called multiprocessing not multitasking.

Multiprocessing requires multiple CPUs.  Multitasking is an emulation
of multiprocessing on a single CPU.  This is a common interpretation.

So, yes Windows does multitask, although not very well.  DOS does not
multitask, but you can make it multitask.

Of course any multitasking based on DOS will be poor due to lack
of basic facilities like asynchronous I/O.  But this is another
entire discussion topic.

-- 
Mikel Lechner			UUCP:  teda!mikel
Teradyne EDA, Inc.
5155 Old Ironsides Drive	| If you explain so clearly that nobody
Santa Clara, Ca 95054		| can misunderstand, somebody will.
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References: <1991Apr19.152949.28953@sun1.ruf.uni-freiburg.de> <91109.172152IO92203@MAINE.BITNET> <4824@gumby.Altos.COM> <1991Apr24.154633.11155@rodan.acs.syr.edu>

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From: mikel@teda.Teradyne.COM (Mikel Lechner)
Newsgroups: comp.os.msdos.programmer
Subject: Re: DOS Multitasking (was Re: Ms-Dos Source)
Message-ID: <24915@teda.Teradyne.COM>
Date: 27 Apr 91 18:41:08 GMT
References: <1991Apr19.152949.28953@sun1.ruf.uni-freiburg.de> <91109.172152IO92203@MAINE.BITNET> <4824@gumby.Altos.COM> <1991Apr24.154633.11155@rodan.acs.syr.edu>
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